Showing posts with label Timelines and Plotting Your Novel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Timelines and Plotting Your Novel. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Timelines and Plotting Your Novel


by Cindy K. Sproles @CindyDevoted

Timelines can be tough. I struggle with dates myself. Every writer has a weakness, and the key to becoming a truly proficient writer is to address the weaknesses and learn methods to help strengthen you. For me, it’s dates in a timeline. 

When publishers ask me for a timeline, I do my best to provide and then as editors begin to work through the novel, they’ll call my hand on a spot where the line isn’t clear. Thank goodness, I’ve never had them say, “This doesn’t work.” The hitch in my giddy-up is usually how many days have passed.

As I spent some time on my newest work, charting my timeline, I realized I never learned this at a conference. I can’t remember anyone ever addressing what this was or its value to my novel, so today, we’re going to touch on my weakness, nemesis—the timeline in a two-part post.